


An Observation

by knightinsourarmor



Series: Fictober 2020 [8]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Attempt at Humor, Canon Compliant, Gossip, Misunderstandings, Spying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:29:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26924386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightinsourarmor/pseuds/knightinsourarmor
Summary: Several of the students watch over an interaction and try and guess what is happening.Written for the Fictober prompt: “will you look at this?”
Series: Fictober 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950880
Kudos: 1
Collections: Fictober20





	An Observation

**Author's Note:**

> More Three Houses! I want to do a follow up for the Sylvix fic eventually for Fictober but today I was inspired by my lovely gf Cassidy to write something a little more humorous.

"I don't know what you mean, Claude."

"I'm sure you don't, Dorothea."

It was late in the afternoon at the Garreg Mach Monastery. Most of the students had finished their lunch already, but most were still milling around the cafeteria. Classes weren't for a while longer for those who had them. So the students were taking their time to relax or train or study - or gossip.

Dorothea was leaning against the stone ledge her back to the fishing pond below. Across from her was Claude. They had started to chat together only several minutes ago. Dorothea was trying to get him to confess to a rumor she had heard, but he seemed to have turned the tables on her. Dorothea feigned ignorance to any of his accusations, but there was look in his eyes that said he didn't believe her. She just smiled sweetly at him in return. 

"Oh look it's Teach. She's fishing again."

Dorothea turned her head to behind her. There, standing at the end of the pier, was Byleth, already casting out a line. Usually when she wasn't teaching the Black Eagles or walking around the monastery, talking to the students and staff alike, she was down at the pier fishing. She seemed to have a knack for it. Dorothea had overheard her once saying that it was one of the first skills she was taught by her father and something she liked to do to relax. 

"Besides. Fish are delicious."

That seemed to be the end of it. Dorothea thought it was practical albeit a little odd. Byleth herself was fairly odd to begin with. Claude came over to lean next to Dorothea. She raised an eyebrow, not sure what interest watching someone fish was, when he gestured to someone approaching Byleth from the right. Edelgard. Dorothea turned to look properly, knowing that they weren't exactly out of sight. If Edelgard looked up at them, she'd clearly see the pair of them watching her. But luckily her attention was all on Byleth at the moment. 

"Will you look at this? Think she's here to fish too?"

"I doubt it."

They couldn't hear anything being said as Edelgard approached Byleth, just the interactions. Byleth inclined their head back as if listening and started to reel in a catch. Edelgard stood beside her, but also a few feet back. She had her back to them, so it was harder to see what she was doing or guess at what was being said. Just that it had caught Byleth's interest as she waited for a few seconds instead of casting again.

"Who knows," Claude started to say again, looking up at Dorothea with a cheeky smile. "Maybe Edelgard really wants to get into fishing. Asking Teach for all of her pointers. 'Do you have to stick a worm on the end?'" Claude laughed at his own impression of Edelgard and Dorothea found herself snickering. It seemed unlikely that was the case. They watched for several more minutes, but neither of the other two moved. Byleth did turn more towards Edelgard after a moment, making a broad gesture to her towards the pond. 

"Maybe they are talking about fishing."

"Who's talking about fishing?"

Dorothea turned back to the sound of a familiar voice. Linhardt was approaching the two of them. He was mid-yawn when she did but seemed somewhat interested in what they were doing. He moved to the other side of Dorothea, peering down at Byleth and Edelgard. In the time, Edelgard had come to stand by Byleth's side proper and Byleth once more was fishing again. Edelgard was somewhat turned towards her, so she assumed they were still talking.

"Byleth and Edelgard. We think Edelgard is asking Byleth about fishing, or something to that degree."

"She could be asking about schoolwork or something else. Hard to say why Byleth would gesture to the pond in answer."

"Maybe she's asking about a good place to dump a body," Linhardt suggested nonchalantly. He shrugged when Dorothea gave him an incredulous look. "I'm just making a guess." 

The three of them watched silently again at the scene. Linhardt spoke once more, breaking the silence. "I think Edelgard was trying to learn more about Byleth's interest. So maybe she's trying to make an effort."

"Where did you hear that," Claude asked. Linhardt just shrugged again. Claude considered this information. He watched as Edelgard leaned a bit close to Byleth, pointing to something on the fishing pole and then looking up at her with a smile. It seemed plausible. "So we're thinking that Edelgard has a little crush on Byleth and is trying to figure out how to get close to her?"

"That's kind of sweet of Edie. Putting in effort to learn more about fishing. I can't imagine she has any real interest in it."

"Oh Teach. What does this do? Will you help me fish next? Just put your arms around me and help guide me. Oh my your muscles are- Hey!" Dorothea had shoved Claude giving him a disapproving look. "You're the one who said it was sweet. Why did you push me."

"Hm, I wonder." 

Byleth had fished up another fish again and motioned towards it before putting it with the others. Edelgard made a motion with her arms that none of them could quite read. She turned like she might leave and the three of them all turned their heads away in case she looked up at them. Sneaking looks back, Edelgard was now crouched down at the end of the pier, looking at the water. 

"She's going to fall in," Linhardt commented. "If she's not careful. Does she know how to swim?"

Dorothea shrugged this time. She really didn't know the answer to it. "I'm sure Byleth does. If she falls in then she would save her."

"How romantic. Maybe she'll fall in on purpose." 

Byleth was now crouching as well, her pole put to the side. This was starting to get weird. Dorothea had no idea what they could possibly be discussing at this point or why no one else seemed interested. Or if they did, maybe they were trying to be more subtle about it. 

"Maybe Byleth is going to push her in."

There was another stretch of silence and it seemed to summon more people. A sudden voice and then a sigh were heard from behind them.

"I see we are all gathering together to watch... oh! Byleth and Edelgard. What an interesting couple." Sylvain slide up to the three of them, looking just as interested as the rest (except for Linhardt who only seemed mildly interested in what was occurring), and then from behind him, a partially irritated Ingrid. She looked surprised though to see Dorothea who waved at her with a smile. 

"What are you three doing? Don't tell me Sylvain is right and you're spying on them."

"Spying's such a harsh word. We are observing them and trying to understand what they are doing." Claude made a gesture over to where Byleth and Edelgard were. They seemed to be having an animated discussion currently. Who knew about what. Their voices didn't quite meet the growing group. Sylvain sauntered over to watch as well, but Ingrid didn't get closer, sighing. Dorothea smiled at her and moved towards her friend. 

"It's all harmless fun. It's not like they are in some private area. Anyone could go by and see them. Or hear them. Or even join them!" In fact someone had approached them. It was one of the staff. The three of them seemed to be in a discussion. Byleth waved her hand and Edelgard nodded. Then the man shook hands with Byleth. He seemed to be laughing?

"I really want to know what they are saying."

"I'm sure it's not that interesting."

"That's what you think."

Over the course of the next hour, the group watched as they fished some more, talked and then started to feed cats. There was something to the weirdness of watching but unable to hear what was said that kept them all there. Until...

"I would request that all of you stop what you are doing."

The cold voice that spoke next wasn't one they expected. But maybe they should have. Dorothea looked back to see that Hubert was standing there looking at all of them with disappointment and thinly veiled disgust. Like he was appalled by their actions. 

"We aren't doing anything wrong Hubie."

"You are spying on Lady Edelgard and the Professor. I think that is quite wrong."

"Like I said," Claude spoke up, "they aren't in private. It's not like we're watching something intimate or personal. They are just fishing. ... Mostly."

"Regardless it is strange. Stop it now." There seemed to be an or else at the end of that. Some of them shivered at the implied threat. Sylvain was the first to move away, stretching and shrugging. 

"Well I'll be on my way then. Have fun being nosy."

Linhardt yawned and also moved to leave. He gave Hubert a look and then waved to the others. "Invite me earlier next time. If I'm not napping."

"Well. I should be going too. Don't want to ruffle any more feathers. It was getting boring anyways." With that Claude was gone too. Dorothea sighed and turned to Ingrid. She seemed relieved that someone came to stop them but also a little disappointed. One more glance backwards and Dorothea caught Byleth waving up at them. She smiled. 

"You win this time Hubie. Come on. Let's go do something else Ingrid."

With that the spying group dispersed never to know what exactly went on. 


End file.
